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About La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1904-1959 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 20, 1945)
Washington Merry-Go-Rqund By DREW PEARSON -".EDITORIAL PAGE La Grande Evening Observer Frank Schiro, Publisher MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 20, 1945 Otherwise Unconditional Surrender Won't Be Complete " ' THOUGHT IX)K TODAY The fear of some divine and supreme power keeps men in obedience. Burton, Reconversion and Congress The several million workers facing: at least temporary unemployment as the speedy aftermath of peace prob ably experienced varying degrees of re assurance as result of the statement of Senate majority leader A I b c n W. Gnrkley that "human elements" of rev conversion will be the first order of business w h o n congress reconvenes next Sept. 5. There is reassurance in the fact that congress seems awake to the urgency of the "human element" which, to the worker, means nothing m o r e or loss than a job. Loss encouraging to those facing unemployment is their knowl edge of the record of congress for leis urely handling of practically all legis lation that conies before it, Many per sons doubtless fear with justification that they will be jobless a long time if they are forced to wail until congress (loos something to relieve them. In theory, and probably in lacl, those likely to bo affected doubtless are bet tor equipped to cope with a period of unemployment than over has boon true of such a group in history. Most of them have war bonds and other savings to tide them over the rainy day they knew would come with peace. Hut people with such reserves will bo reluctant, on the whole, to draw upon them. And there can bo no escaping the problem repre sented by the many thousands of per son who failed for various reasons to be prepared for the problems now con fronting them. The fact that most such people may have themselves to blame for their immediate prospects does not remove nor lessen the problems with which they and the nation are con fronted. No matter where the biame may lie, and no matter how well prepared those affected may be, the joblessness of sev eral million people for a n y extended period will be an unhealthy, and pos sibly dangerous, condition both for the unemployed and for the nation as a whole. The least such a condition can do is to breed the sort f discontent in which such things as communism will flourish. Idle hands arc dangerous both for the individual and for the nation. The national welfare therefore de mands that congress follow the course promised by Senator 1'arkloy. It is of an importance impossible to exagger ate that congress make the "human el ements" of reconversion its first order of business. It is even more important that action designed to relieve the sit uation be prompt. Mennw liile, the outlook for th" un employed, and the prospectively unem ployed, probably is as favorable as con gross can make it at this time. Congress seems awake to the importance and the urgency of the problem. This, of course, does not guarantee that curative legis lative .i'Otion may bo as speedy as may lie desired. P.ut it does provide reason for hope that, our national legislators will bo diligent in providing whatever relief congress can provide. Funny Business a- Q 2 a JL VT.v i if. SO THEY SAY Only through the monopoly of .11011110 force by a world organ ization can we hope to abolish war. -Hobort M. tlnU'hins. chancellor, t'liivcvsily of Chicago. Safety of flying personnel and the public will be protected if planes Hie not flown over cities except in direct emergencies. Hloomington, 111. Pantagraph. Russia's move will bo a disap pointment to those who have licen trying to foment war be tween the United States and the Soviet Union. The Very liev Dean John Chepeleff, Russian Orthodox cathedral, Detroit. , U't lie new tamtam hone rubber conservation, you knowl" There's one page we might take from the communist's book with profit to democracy. The Com mie works harder to be a good comimitiisl than vvv work at do mocracy. Beloit, Wis., News. (Ed. Note While Drew Pearson is on a brief vacation, his column will be writ ten by several distinguished guest colum nists today by Henry J. Kaiser, the fa mous west coast industrialist and shipbuilder.) Page Two By HENRY J. KAISER SAN FRANCISCO For one who has, on occasion, been taken for a. ride on Drew Pearson's merry-go-round, It is difficult to refuse a free ride when it is offered. During the war, I have come to know something of the Washington covered in this column. What understanding of its prob lems I have asquired stems from my discov ery that the war department, navy, and war production board consist of a lot of individ ual men, each and everyone doing his best. Criticism of their performance should be tempered by comprehension of the fact that, in our free society, the initiative in domes tic affairs should originate elsewhere, out side of the government, n the ranks of man agement, labor, and agriculture In which the real responsibility for the progress of our nation resides. After all, if the government were too effi cient when it takes over the functions of business, it would be difficult to compete with it, and perhaps make it impossible for Drew Pearson to work. The chorus of com plaint arises largely from those citizens who have lost ther taste for competition. It was thrilling, during the United Nations conference on International organization at San Francisco, to watch oui' nation's new frleds from the world abroad climax their discovery of America by discovering the sec ret of America's great power. For many of them it was at first difficult to understand how such coordinated industrial might could flow from a system of economic freedom motivated by self interest. The secret, of course, is the force of competition. Inevitably, when men compete to reduce the price, improve the quality, and increase the volume of production, they achieve bene fits for the whole nation. In the resulting expansion of earning power, labor partici pates to the extent of at least 75 percent. America will go on growing just as long as we enlarge the scope and widen the op portunities of competition. Little Mayo Clinics Let me again talk about health competi tive health. At the invitation of the Pepper committee of the senate, I have drafted a bill for federal legislation to achieve com petitive health. This bill has in mind the future and the hopes of the half million veterans of war who are going td come home not only doctors, but nurses, pharmacists, and battalion aid men.. It would empower the federal housing agency, which; has fi nanced the ownership of nearly a million American homes, to guarantee 90 percent of local bank loans to build and equip hos pitals. This financing would be made avail able to groups, that undertake to' provide prepaid medical care. - Here is an opportunity! In the armed forces, doctors have learned to work and live together in group practice. Under the bill, they could invest the funds set up for'' them by the G. 'I. 'Hill of rights in their own group practice dirties at home. Together, 10 of them could make up a pool of $25,000 and get a, loan of $250,000 to set up much ncded medical facilities. : , . ' . I can see little Mayo clinics springing up all over thp nation. Founded on the sound economics of prepaid medicine, .these. ,clin- . . ics would operate as going business enter prises, competing to reduce their cost, im prove the quality and expand the scope of their service to the public. Postwar Employment Health is the first project of the four-point postwar program that has been on my mind since the war began health, homes, high-, ways, and transportation. . Competition will speed them all forward for the creation 'of employment. , For' the' sake, of slirring up some competition, "wo made full disclosure of our plan's in 'the Home building field two days after V-E day. We are going to build . whole communities of homes. Highways are also a good subject for com petition. The states thnt'haVe the best high ways will lead the parade when tho citizens of the U. S. set out to rediscover this coun try once again. California has started .the snowball rolling with a recent announce ment of a $400,000,000 postwar highway pro gram. " Now let me talk about steel. Here Is a glorious prospect! The great steel Corpora tions, by virtue of the fact that steel ingo! capacity has beon installed in the west, arc now going to have competition. In the press this week, Ernest Weir was the latest eastern steel man to confess his concern ovsr western competition. Two great new steel plants have been built in the west: the Kaiser steel plant, at Fontarta; Califor-' nia, owned and operated by Kaiser com pany, inc., and the D. P. C. plant at Geneva, Utah, owned by the people of the United See WASHINGTON . . '. Page 4 con.nwamuURVicc.ne. t.m. mo. v. a. mt. off. '''gJJgi "Its cruising speed is pretty slow, I guess, but I'll settle 'for-' this as my bomber from now on!" ' (fOC O McKENNEY ON BRIDGE I .! By WILLIAM E. McKENNEY America's Card Authority EVALUATE BIDDING IN CHOOSING A LEAD Mrs. R. C. (Sally) Young of Philadelphia was rated for sever al years the world's outstanding woman bridge player. When the war came along, Sally went into war work and in addition, drove a laxicab. However, I have seen her around at tournaments late ly rand she may be out to win back her crown. I asked Sally once if she had -"il'M- ' A 10 6 4 V J 6 A92 AK1043 South West North East I Pass l 2 Pass 3 Pass 3 A Puss 3 N. T. Pass 4 A 21 partner iriay hold a sirrgttrtb'h dia- mond or may even bevold-'in dia monds." ..' ':. ,. . -.joteW . In this particular., case. ,Soulh cashed the ace of diirmorVIs and led the deuce, which North' ruff ed. A club was returnoob South won and led onotheri.tltamond. Thus, before the opponents start ed, North and South "touk four ' tricks. .' . .,!-.ryn; . O IN FORMER YEARS : :fc -ull WE, THE WOMEN it; By RUTH MILLETT Where is that war wife who only the oth er day was worrying about her own family problems of postwar readjustment? Who grew blue and despondent, just thinking about the job ahead of her when her man would come home and onbe more would have to get acquainted with his wife and children again, to assume the responsibility for getting a job and settling down? That woman Who was getting so much conflicting advice on how to treat her re turned serviceman, she wondered if shj would ever be equal to the, task? The girl who was wondering if she would ever have the wisdom, the understanding, the patience, the taet to make a go of things when her man came back to her? Where is that harassed and lonely crea ture? No wonder you can't find her. The weight of uncertainty and advice has slipped from her shoulders. There is a spripg to her step and her head is up in the clouds. She isn't "a poor little thing" any more. She doesn't need sym- pathy and advice.1' :'(.,";' ? !'" :?'?". She is a sure creature, who. doesn't figure there is any problem in the world that can lick her now. Don't worry about her any more. She doesn't need anyone to hold her hand. There is just one thing on her mind, now. When is Joe coming home? How many days, how many weeks, how many months? And, oh yes, she has another 'problem or two. But she'll solve them. They're really simple though they seem stupendous at the moment. What is she going to wear when ' she nieels her man at the railroad station? And, how is she going to manage her p6inls: so as to have the pantry anil, tec box well stocked for his return? There may be tough problems ahead of her and later she may want some advice but. not now. Not on anything more ser ious than, say, is her new permanent really becoming? That "poor little war wife", is the happiest woman in the world. : C. . any specific theories on opening leads, and she said, "Definitely yes. I think that most people make the wrong lead because they do noi Mop to think." Then she gave me today's hand. "Surprisingly," she said, "many players will open the king of lute. But lrstQn..tolhe.bidding. asf has- bid.' two diamonds and' latet three;.spsdes,. so he prob ably has five diamonds. West helped the diamonds, probably holding three, possibly four. South has bid clubs. Therefore the only correct opening is the ace" of diamonds, because your O BARBS In dealing with the Jap war lords we should continue to "Re member Pearl Harbor." We wonder if the new washers or ironcrs will have a gadget that will put the buttons back on. One of the greatest signs of better times will take place aboard the U. S. S. Missouri. Behind Scenes in Washington By PETER EDSON, La Grande Erening Observer Washington Correspondent As far as. we're concerned, be it ever : so humble, there's no place like home for the German prisoners of war now in the U. S. ; . The sooner they're ' shipped back, the better! WASHINGTON If, as expected, Edward Frederick Lindlcy Wood, Earl of Halifax, retires from his post in Washington, he will bring to a close one of the most successful embassies in British history. Lord Halifax is now in Britain, having left Washington bejorc the votes were count ed in the recent election. Hc is expected back sometime in the early fall but few peo ple expect him to stay. Even if the con servatives had won it is believed doubtful the all, lanky nobleman would have re turned to Washington for any length of time. Now that labor has won its overwhelming victory, it seems almost certain that he will return to his Yorkshire home for good. Halifax came here at the very beginning of America's participation iii the war. Nev er before had Anglo-American relationships taken on such enormous importance. In addition he succeeded the highly popular Lord Lothian who had dkd tragically Doc. 12. 1941 just five days after Pearl Harbor The fact Churchill chose his foreign min ister and one of the chief Members of the inner war cabinet to come to (he United States as ambassador is an indication of the importance assigned to the post. On top of that Churchill sent Halifax to America aboard Britain's newest and finest battle ship, the King George V: To give point to the crucial nature of his mission, President Roosevelt personally went to meet the boat when it anchored in Chesapeake bay, an honor previously re solved only for heads of states. Despite all this, the appointment of Lord Halifax drew loud cues of anguish from many left-wingers who were suspicious of his conservative views. Many Washington- ians. . also believed the supposedly austere ambassador would renew the chilly atmos phere which had pervaded the huge embassy on Massachusetts avenue unlit it had-been lifted by the ebullient Lothian. It is doubtful if any ambassador ever had a bigger job than Halifax or that any ever worked harder at it. Naturally austere or not, Lord Halifax set about learning about Americans and making friends with them. Perhaps no ambassador of a, 'foreign power has covered so much Amarican.tcrWtory.'In-' stead of remaining in the customary orbit o fdiploniats which may include Washing ton. New York. Florida, and New England for the summers. Halifax visited such places as Montgomery. Ala., and Oklahoma- City. Ho wore ton gallon hats and Indian head dresses in the well established custom of public figures in the U. S., and his speeches were. events in many out of the way places. Ho filled the subsidiary posts in his embassy wi'h many young, able and friendly people. Today a labor leader is likely to be as wel come at the embassy as a socially prominent international banker, perhaps more so. If Lord Halifax worked hard, so did his wife. A small, likeable woman, she soon was on easy terms with Washington, and helped her husband make friends on his many nips. Washington will miss the Halifaxcs and is wondering what kind of man will be picked to succeed him. Some Britishers in the capital believe that a trained career man like Sir Archibald Clark-Kerr, now bis ma jesty's ambassador at Moscow willVbe chos en Otlivis think that a prominent member of the labor party will be stfht'.' In irhy-'case. he will have a hafd time equaling the Hali fax record, - Scientists believe civilization,, can gain great benefits from the atomic bomb. And what if help ed bring about in Japan proves the thought. 30 Years Ago tr . Arrangements to put jhe Beav er creek dam employes ? under the state industrial .commission benefits were comp!eted,,jps!. eve ning at the midweek jsqssion o!' the city commission. , It is expected that the 'hearing relative to grade, crossing in En terprise will be concluittdrtoday. Superintendent William; jJBoIlons and Division Engineer Lyons, who have been representing the O-Ws interests in tfiftthfearing, are expected out timigW''ifi'wiricJv i time it is - also- expected that''' Chairman Canipell ofitfriii public ' utilities commission Witt ''return to La Grande after hfeflg pre sided at the hearing. I" 15 Years Ago1"' With a franchise nearly as sured, the Natural Gas corpora tion of Oregon is making plans to enter La Grande and erect an at tractive mission style 'Sffljding to house the gas equiprna F. M. Sturgill, and ifi nccted with him in .tlr Construction company grossing rapidly on the widening the state hicbjW twecn Hot Lake and iarande. The grade is being cxter)(fed five feet on each Side makirigUfc road ten feet wider on th(4s(raight stretch. . :X.tm ' -,- The Cove' schooi gymj'ill be completed before the fiVs&gf Sep tember. The color of li$ paint is attractive, being lighlj.brown wilh a grcen,roof. Tlyjffiainting inside is not yet compfeisrj; 10 Years Ago & The Crystal- Plungc'?vjjmming pool here, which has 5ieWl oper ated tor ten'' weeks jfjic L Grande Lions club in coljjfinction . wilh the summer playground pro-': gram, was' closed last'evening. This Curious World S THE ORDER IN WHICH S f, ..; x i . J . I ( THS MAJOR LEAGUE' ( , T . 1 ( BASEBALL. TEAMS ( ' : sfc ;Vi t OWftAAANJ SHARKS ARC NOW SEIN6 PSINTEO IN (HEU0, mask M S-7 ri2 ceo ANSWER: Western South Dakota. - NEXT: The U. S, A. is low on high mountains.
